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End of probation increase
Description of the criteria and process for requesting an increase at the end of a civil service probationary period.
End of probation increases are an option available for units to provide an increase to open-range employees who were in a civil service probationary period during the annual salary program. Note that end of probation increases are considered to be part of the annual salary program under the campus Budget Guidelines, not a midyear increase under the Hiring Approvals parameters.
Steps to complete (Unit HR):
- Identify the employee for whom an increase is being requested. Confirm that they are open range (not represented by a collective bargaining agreement), had a probation end date within the past 30 days, and did not receive a salary program increase in the most recent salary program, i.e., through Salary Planner.
- If the desired increase is 7% or greater or you are uncertain whether the employee is eligible for an end of probation increase, email ihr-compensation@illinois.edu with identifying information for the employee and the requested increase amount. Based on thresholds required by the campus Budget Guidelines, this may require additional justification for review by IHR and/or the Office of the Provost.
- Submit the increase in HR Front End (HRFE):
- No required attachments. If IHR and/or Provost approval was required for a 7+% increase, attach the email with document type “Employment Docs”
- Transaction type: Employee Job Record Change (ERC)
- Effective Date (or Personnel Date, if the transaction is effective in a prior pay period) is the beginning of the biweekly pay period immediately following the probation end date.
- Job Change Reason is SA003-Merit Increase.
- Based on the payroll calendar and transaction processing schedule, if the effective date is in a prior pay period, submit a PARIS Prior Underpayment Adjustment for the affected timeframe.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What policies and guidelines control end of probation increases?
The university Budget Guidelines issued each fiscal year describe the salary program. This includes which employees are eligible or ineligible for the salary program.
The University System’s Policy & Rules for Civil Service Staff, Rule 5.15 are referenced in the Budget Guidelines and prescribe timing of the increases, as well as that the employee receives only one merit increase each fiscal year.
Who decides whether an employee receives an end of probation increase?
The employing unit decides whether to request an increase. Illinois Human Resources officially reviews and approves the increase in applying the HR Front End transaction, with escalation to the Provost office based on their criteria (e.g., increases above a certain percentage, which may vary based on the size of each year’s salary program). IHR recommends that units have a consistent internal approach to the decision to request an end of probation increase, such as a date cutoff.
What is the effective date of an end of probation increase?
The beginning of the biweekly pay period immediately following the employee’s probation end date.
Example: Sunday, October 1, 2023, was the first day of a biweekly pay period. An employee with a 12-month probationary period that began October 2, 2022, with a probation end date of October 1, 2023, would’ve been ineligible for the salary program in August 2023. If their unit requested an end of probation increase, the effective date would be Sunday, October 15, 2023, the beginning of the following pay period.
Where can I find the employee’s probation end date?
In HR Front End, under Jobs, each job’s probation information is in the Job Detail accordion.
How can I confirm whether an employee is represented by a collective bargaining agreement?
In HR Front End, the bargaining unit is listed in both the Job Detail and Position Data accordions. Open range employees will be listed as “None”.
Can employees receive an end of probation increase after March 1?
Yes, especially if the probation end date was prior to March 1 and the effective date of the increase is after March 1 because of the payroll calendar. The Budget Guidelines reference, “As in the past, campus level approval is required for […] Salary increases for academic and open range civil service employees hired (new hire or new position) on or after March 1, 20XX, or who received a significant pay increase on or after March 1, 20XX.”
Does the end of probation increase affect the employee’s eligibility for the following year’s salary program?
No, it is considered part of the preceding August’s salary program even though the increase occurs later.
Can the end of probation increase be combined with other actions?
No, best practice is to process it separate from other activity on the same employee, which have different required approvals and effective dates.
When should end of probation increases be discussed with an employee?
At the time of annual salary letters, employees who are ineligible for an increase due to probation should be informed of that, as well as the unit's plans to provide an end of probation increase. If an employee's salary program increase has been incorporated at a different point, such as a unit that opted for a higher promotional increase in lieu of waiting to request an end of probation increase, that should also be communicated to the employee.